Adjustable copy holder device for typewriter desks



Sept. 2, 1958 M. s. EISENMENGER 2,849,984

ADJUSTABLE coP'Y HOLDER-DEVICE FOR TYPEWRITER DESKS Filed June 21, 1954,

United States. Patent C ADJUSTABLE COPY HOLDER DEVICE FOR TYPEWRIT ER DESKS Martha S. Eisenmenger, Minneapolis, Minn. h Application June 21, 1954, Serial No. 438,067

1 Claim. (Cl- 120-28) swinging door, is projectible upwardly and rearwardly from the rear side of the desk leaving the door in outwardly swung position perpendicular to the rear side of the desk and positioned behind the typewriter in use.

With modern pedestal type desks and various other typewriter tables, desks and supports, it is very diificult to adequately support copy such as a shorthand note-book behind and above the typewriter where the stenographer can conveniently transcribe her notes or read from her copy without turning her head and substantially deflecting her vision from normal position in addressing her work. A number of stenographers have slight visual, muscular or other handicaps which make it diflicult and in some cases, totally impractical to read from a copy holder disposed at one side of the typewriter.

It is an object of my invention to provide a simple, adjustable and relatively inexpensive copy holder which will in all instances, hold the copy just back of the typewriter and above the top of the same, thereby eliminating objections to most conventional copy holders now in use.

Another object is the provision of an adjustable, disappearing copy holder device which is so supported and related to modern desks such as those of the pedestal type, that it may be readily compacted and concealed when not in use and which nevertheless, is readily adjustable vertically to always support the copy in the most advantageous position for the stenographer.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide an adjustable copy holder of the class described which is particularly adapted for attachment and support from the rear swinging door of the modern pedestal type typewriter desk and when compacted and lowered into inoperative position, is carried by the door into the compartment at right or-left hand sides of the desk where the pedestal and typewriter are normally housed.

These and other objects and advantages of my inven-' tion will more fully appear fromthe following description made in connection with the accompanying draw- I ings wherein like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

Fig. 1 is a rear view of the left hand portion of a pedestal type typewriter desk showing my copy holder device attached to the rear door of the desk and shown in side elevation; the dotted lines indicating the position of a typewriter in normal use upon the pedestal;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of my copy holder device as it appears when extended and adjusted for holding copy during use, the outlines of a typewriter being indicated in broken lines;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of my device collapsed in theinoperative position for subsequent swinging position into and concealment within the desk compartment which houses the typewriter; and

, Figf4 is a detailed cross section taken on-the line 4 4,of Fig. 2.

-' In the form of the invention illustrated, my copy holder device is attached toand supported from the swinging door D at the left rear side of a conventional, modern pedestal type desk X. The swinging door D gives access to .a pedestal and typewriter housing chamber C formed in the left portion of desk X. A conventional typewriter pedestal or support P is shiftably mounted Within chamber C and when pulled outwardly from its housed position, projects rearwardly into the elevated, position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, providing a horizontal support protruding rearwardly from the desk and upon 1 which a typewriter'T maybe positioned for use. The person using the. desk turns her chair toface Fpedestal ;P and the typewriter. At this time, door Dfis swung open to the normal full position extending thenperpendicularto the rear side of the desk and pedestal -P.

My. copy holder device includes a vertically adjustable I supporting frame preferably in the form of a vertical,

inverted, U-shapedrod structure 6 having widely spaced, vertical legs 6a and a horizontal top bar 612.

Slide brackets 7 as shown, are afiixed to theinner side ofthe door D spaced in parallel relation some distance 7 below the upper edge and having tubular portions 7a in which legs 6a are slidably mounted. Oneor both of said 1 brackets 7 may be provided with a wing bolt set screw de,-

vice 8 for adjustably securing the frame 6 in the desired;

elevated position, as shown. 4

A copy holder member 8 as shown in the form of a rectangular plate, is hingedly secured atits lower edge as by pivot sleeves 9 to the upper bar 6b of the U-shaped frame, The pivot sleeves 9 as clearly shown in Fig. 4, closely but pivotally'surround the rod bar 6b and at least one thereof carries a readily releasable pin 10 which is slidably mounted within a shell 10a and is normally spring pressed by a spring 10b into protruded position. The inner end of pin 10 when copy holder member plate 8 is swung upwardly into an upstanding and slightly past vertical position registers with an aperture or slot 6c formed in rod member 6b to anchor and retain detachably, the copy holder member in a desired, upstanding position for work. The height of the rectangular plate constituting the. holder member is preferably slightly less than the length of a conventional shorthand notebook so that the pages of the notebook may be successively turned one by one, over the upper edge of the copy holder. Plate 8 as shown, has an outturned, lower, horizontal flange 8a which acts as a horizontal support or ledge for notebooks, sheets of paper or the like. At the left edge of the copy holder plate 8 the stock is first outturned and then inturned to form a marginal angle piece or inwardly opening channel affording a slightly spaced relation for the width of the stenographers notebook. To facilitate such spacing and reinforcing of the angle piece, spacers 8b are provided, as shown in Fig. 4 being related with suitable rivets to space and reinforce the said angle structure and further to confine and position a pair of swingable spring-retaining arms 11. Arms 11 are made from spring metal and normally bend inwardly towards the back structure of the holder member 8 so that they may apply pressure against independent sheets or against the outermost sheet of the stenographers notebook. They are readily swingable so that they may be adjusted to prevent obscuring of lines of shorthand, as desired.

On the back surface of copy holder .member 8, I prefer to provide a swingable back extension arm 12 con- 2,849,984 9 atented Sept. z, 1958.

just behind the p structed of substantially rigid material and pivoted by a rivet 12a, as shown in Fig; l, to the left hand side of the holder back. Arm 12 may be swung upwardly and then downwardly into confinement of a struck-out keeper or tongue 8c to position the arm diagonally some distance above the upper edge of holder plate 8; In this position, it will support the upper edge of legal size typewriter paper or other elongated sheetmaterial:

When my copy holder device is not in use, the retainer pinis released and the copy holder member'is swung inwardly and downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 3, it being then disposed substantially within the confines of the-supporting frame 6. Frame 6' may then be lowered by releasing the wing bolt 8 on one of the brackets 7 whereby the entire frame and copy holder is disposed within the confines of the area of the desk door D. When the typewriter is not in use or the pedesta P raised and extended, the door may be closed, housing the entire copy holder device within the outer portion of the storage chamber C provided at the left hand portion of the desk.

In use, it is only necessary to open the door, pull outwardly and upwardly on the protruding edge of pedestal P to protrude the pedestal or typewriter support in the conventional manner. The pedestal usually carries the typewriter in a position transversely of the desk. The frame 6 is then slidably adjusted upwardly to the desired position and wing bolt 8 is tightened whereafter the copy holder member 8 may be swung upwardly to its extreme limit of swinging thereby automatically camming the inner end of pin 10 into the retaining detent or aperture 6c. Usually, the frame and copy holder member are adjusted and operatively positioned after swinging open door D and before the typewriter supporting ped' estal is pulled out.

With my structure properly adjusted, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the work to be transcribed or copied, is positioned slightly past vertical, to minimize reflections oflight into the stenographers eyes. This positioning places the work directly behind and'close to the rear of the typewriter where the stenographer, without turning her head or shifting her vision, can transcribe her notes or copy work supported upon holder plate 8. The frame 6 slidably adjustable within limits for height, provides.

4 an efficient supporting medium for positioning the work at various heights for the best convenience of the particular stenographer. A tall person naturally would adjust the frame 6 and copy holder to an elevated position as contrasted to the desired position of a shorter person.

My improved structure, while particularly adapted for use with a modern pedestal typewriter desk, is readily attachable to portions of desks which have sockets provided for reception of the adjustable leg 6a of the frame and which may or may not have recessed portions for accommodating the copy holder member 8. If recesses or compartments are provided, the entire copy holder structure may be concealed when not in use, as in the form illustrated herein.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided a highly efficient, simple and inexpensive, adjustable copy holder device providing proper support of notebooks, sheets and the like in positions of adjustment most convenient to the stenographer.

It will of course be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

The combination with a typewriter desk having a typewriter-storing compartment and also having a surface portion movable into and out of the compartment with the'typewriter to be concealed and exposed therewith, of a copy holder device including a supporting bracket on said concealable surface portion, a frame vertically adjustably mounted on the bracket, a copy holder member mounted on the frame for swinging movement between a substantially erect position and a downwardly swung collapsed position, and releasable means for securing the copy holder in erect position, whereby the copy holder device is concealable in the desk with said surface portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,009,508 Guthrie Nov. 21, 1911 1,334,264 Sheean Mar. 16, 1920 1,369,760 King et a1. Feb. 22, 1921 2,572,731 Keith Oct. 23, 1951 

